


But Never Doubt I Love

by UniverseOnHerShoulders



Category: Victoria (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2018-12-12 19:48:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 8,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11743932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniverseOnHerShoulders/pseuds/UniverseOnHerShoulders
Summary: A collection of Victoria drabbles based on prompts I've received on Tumblr.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> From the prompt:
> 
>  
> 
> _Victoria and Albert constantly getting interrupted while trying to have some ~private time, and Albert finally inventing the switch that will lock the door from their bed._

The first time they were disturbed, it was amusing. Albert was kissing a slow, languid trail down her neck, one hand at her waist and the other working to unpin her hair, when the door to their bedchamber was thrown open by a harangued looking footman, who was the approximate colour of a beetroot and panting for breath.

“Begging pardon, Your Majesty, but,” he broke off to gulp a lungful of air down, although it did nothing for his complexion. “But there’s someone here to see you.”

“Can it wait?” Victoria asked, as politely as she was able given the circumstances. “Or is it urgent?”

“It’s urgent.”

“Very well,” she sighed, sitting up and gently but insistently wriggling free from Albert’s grasp. “I’ll be right there.”

The footman nodded and bowed out of the room, and Albert began to chuckle. 

“These servants of yours,” he hummed, pressing a final lingering kiss to her hair. “They have no respect for our needs.”

“No, they do not,” Victoria acquiesced, shooting her husband a final, forlorn glance. “A queen must put her people first. Which in this case is a great shame, my love.”

* * *

 

The second time it happened, it was not a footman who interrupted them but Lehzen. Albert has one hand on the back of Victoria’s neck as she worked to unbutton his nightshirt, giggling like a schoolgirl as she did so, when the door to their room was opened and the queen’s companion sidled over the threshold with a squalling Princess Vicky in her arms. 

“Your Majesty, I am terribly sorry to interrupt you so early,” she began worriedly. “But Her Royal Highness won’t stop crying, we’ve tried everything, and I think that you may bring her some comfort.”

Victoria sighed yet sat up, smoothing down her hair before holding out her arms for her daughter. When the infant was laid in them, she fell instantly quiet, blinking up at her mother in tranquil serenity. 

“There,” Victoria said softly, taking the little girl’s hand in her own. “Now, we’ll have no more of this noise, will we, my darling?”

“She is just a child, Victoria,” Albert reminded her, leaning over to brush his daughter’s cheek with a fingertip. “Aren’t you, liebling? You needed your mama.”

“Well,” Victoria huffed a little, leaning back with Vicky in her arms. “You must both remember: Mama has needs too.”

* * *

 

The third and final time, it was her mother that interrupted the pair, early one evening. Victoria was perched on Albert’s knee in her drawing room as she kissed him with the kind of intensity that she usually reserved for the bedroom, when the Duchess stepped inside and affixed her daughter with a displeased glare.

“Victoria,” she chided, and her daughter slid off Albert’s lap reluctantly. “That is unseemly behaviour for a woman, especially a woman in your position.”

“What was it you needed, Mama?” Victoria asked as politely as she was able, resolving not to apologise. “Was it important?”

“It was merely to inform you I shall be travelling to Bath tomorrow to take the waters.”

“Very well. I wish you a pleasant trip.”

“Thank you. Goodnight, my dear.”

“Goodnight, Mama.”

Only when her mother had left the room did Victoria look to Albert, who appeared as irked as she felt. “We must do something about this,” he murmured, reaching for a pad of paper and a pencil. “Because as you say, my angel... we have needs.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albert teaches Victoria a new skill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From [Alex's](http://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSaddleman/pseuds/TheSaddleman) prompt:
> 
> _During an outing, Victoria asks Albert to teach her how to skip stones across the water. Albert gets annoyed when Victoria displays a natural talent for it and in fact skips rocks better than he can!_

Victoria watched as Albert picked his way across the stony shore, his eyes affixed on the pebbles at his feet as though he were searching for something specific. She was quite sure that he was, although what that might be she was unsure, and thus she remained where she was, knowing that given time and patience her husband’s intentions would reveal themselves.

After a long few minutes of searching, he crouched and snatched up a smooth, flat stone and cast it across the water with a deft flick of his wrist, where it bounced twice before sinking. 

“How did you do that?” she called, impressed, and he turned to her with a pleased little smile. 

“Ernest taught me, when we were boys. I could show you, if you would like?”

“Very well,” she got to her feet and crossed to where he was stood, watching as he began casting around for a second stone. “I have confidence in your abilities as a teacher.”

He grinned as he picked one out for her and placed it in her hand, shaping her fingers around it and then wrapping his arms around her waist and turning her so that she was stood sideways on to the water. 

“Now, do not throw,” he cautioned, his voice low and soft in her ear. “Just allow me to show you.”

He took her hand and moved her arm in a smooth arc, once; twice; three times, and when he was quite certain she had grasped the concept, he beamed.

“Good,” he told her. “Now, you throw.”

He stepped back and Victoria felt the same aching sense of loss she always did when his physical presence was removed from her, before concentrating instead on following the motions he had just taught her. The stone left her hand and skipped five times across the water, disappearing below the surface with a _plop._

“My goodness,” Albert chuckled. “It appears I have competition.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are few things Victoria loathes more than being pregnant. Thankfully, she has Albert to take care of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _How about Victoria is feeling down and Albert tries different ways to cheer her up?_

"I hate this,” Victoria mumbled to herself, trailing a finger across the swell of her stomach. Her third pregnancy was progressing much as the last had: her joints ached, her back hurt, her stomach was unsettled, and she felt as wide as she was tall, which admittedly was not overly, but was still enough to render her uncomfortable. “Never again.”

“My angel, you said that last time,” Albert hummed, sidling into the room holding a silver tray with a crisp white cloth draped over its contents, concealing them from her gaze. “And the time before.”

“I wish it could be avoided,” she mumbled, closing her eyes quickly lest she start crying and invoke her husband’s sympathy. “This whole sorry thing.”

“I know, my love,” he told her, sitting beside her and placing the tray down on a nearby table. “But as long as we continue to show our love for each other, this will continue to happen. Since we cannot give that up, we must learn to bear the consequences, which is easy when they are as wonderful as our children.”

“You would not say such a thing if you had an infant kicking your spine each time you moved,” Victoria muttered, and Albert’s eyes widened in concern. He reached over and placed a palm on her stomach, crooning quietly to their child in German.

“Little one,” he said in English, stroking lightly. “Be gentle with your mama. Be kind to her, please.”

The child kicked in response, and he gasped in delight, laughing a breathless little laugh before pressing a kiss to Victoria’s hair. 

“They know you,” she told him with a half-smile. “And love you as I do.”

“Will that love be doubled if I show you what is on this tray?”

“Perhaps.”

Albert lifted the cloth with a flourish, revealing a steaming cup of ginger tea and a bowl of marron glacés. 

“Oh, Albert,” Victoria felt herself well up. “You wonderful, sweet thing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The forest where it all began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _I would like to see Vicbert playing in the forest being cute and remembering the first time they did it with Dash before the proposal. And maybe some teasing because they weren't sure if they liked each other then._

“Do you remember the last time we were here?” Albert asked, leaning against a tree and watching as Victoria set her new puppy down on the forest floor to explore. 

“Of course,” she beamed fondly down at the tiny spitz as it sniffed around curiously, before looking up at her husband with a tinge of sadness. “With dear Dash, and...”

“You had that wonderful riding outfit on,” he smiled at the memory. “It was the first time I saw you... exposed.”

“‘Exposed’?” Victoria arched an eyebrow playfully. “That may be treason.”

“Unbound,” Albert said, stepping closer, his voice low and serious. “Without worrying about the pretences of order and the boundaries of society.”

“Treason,” she said again, as he reached down and pulled her to her feet and kissed her. “Treason...” she mumbled again into his mouth, smiling as she spoke, and he laughed then, pulling away.

“What is the penalty for treason?” he asked, cupping her cheek in his palm. “I will pay it gladly.”

“Well,” she mused the question. “Having you executed seems unfavourable. I should think that carrying myself and little Marco back to the path would suffice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria is the head cheerleader & Albert is the head of the debate team. A match made in heaven, or a perfect storm? College AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From assortedflavours's prompt:
> 
> _Vicbert College AU? Anything that comes to mind for you, but it could be they have to work on a project together? Or maybe Harriet and Ernest are hooking up, and they bail on Victoria and Albert who are left stranded together. But secretly that was H &E's plan..._

Victoria sighed heavily, examining her manicure and side-eyeing Harriet every few seconds. Much to her chagrin, her best friend wouldn’t meet her gaze.

“Remind me why I agreed to this?” she asked huffily, looking up and scowling at the dark-haired boy sat opposite her. 

“Because my brother is charming and erudite and the perfect arm-candy for someone like yourself.” 

“I’m not looking for arm candy.”

“Of course not,” Ernest raised his eyebrows. "Because...”

“Just because I’m head of the Lions squad doesn’t mean I think like them, act like them, or want to be anything like them,” Victoria snapped. “I don’t want some idiotic boy toy, I want a partner who might actually be capable of holding a civilised conversation with me for longer than two seconds before staring at my tits. I want someone smart, and kind, and nice. I do not want ‘arm candy.’ Got it?”

“Got it,” he muttered, as Harriet suppressed a smirk. “Well, you’ll be pleased to know Albert is all of those things. Smart. Kind. Nice. Not overly likely to stare at your...” he gestured vaguely.

“Really?” Victoria asked in a saccharine tone. “Because I was inclined to believe he was a surly social justice warrior with no interest in making friends with anyone outside of his hippy vegan clique.”

“He’s not a vegan,” Ernest rolled his eyes. “And he’s not a hippy either. That was the _old_ debate team; he’s not like that.”

“Sure he’s not.”

“Well, he can convince you himself,” Ernest’s eyes flickered to the door, and Victoria turned in her seat to take in the sight of Albert, hovering nervously as his eyes darted around for his brother. When his gaze alighted on the trio, he looked a touch nervous but headed over nonetheless. “But... play nice, OK?”

“Fine,” Victoria muttered, as Albert reached their table and offered her a shy smile. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

Ernest and Harriet got to their feet, and Albert sank down in the booth apprehensively. 

“Wait,” Victoria said in a panic. “Where are you two...”

“Have fun!” Ernest trilled, turning and fleeing with Harriet before anyone could object. 

“Well,” Albert chuckled. “They’ve played us like a fiddle. I’m having the Major Tom burger and sweet potato fries. You?”

“Uh...” Victoria blinked, bolstered by the fact he hadn’t automatically assumed she’d want a salad. “The same. Thanks.”

Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria and Albert have a disagreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Vicbert arguing._

“This is something that I feel passionate about!” Albert shouted, throwing his hands in the air as he paced their bedroom like a caged animal. “All I ask from you is your support, and yet you refuse to give it; refuse to allow me any freedom at all! I am like a child here, or like a prisoner!”

“Don’t exaggerate,” Victoria said coldly, refusing to lose her temper. “You are simply required to follow the conventions of this household, and those conventions dictate that you accompany me to the State Ball rather than this abolitionist meeting.”

“The conventions of this household are bizarre!” Albert protested. “In Coburg, we did not have this sense of obligation; of following your wife around like a puppy dog!”

“In Coburg, you did not have a female ruler!”

“That is true but...”

“In Coburg, it is women who follow men around like dogs, is it not?” Victoria asked, growing angrier by the minute. “Is that any better? No, it is not. But we live in these times Albert and we must play by these rules, so standing by my side is to be expected of you. That is all I ask.” 

“But...”

“If you lament the fact that you are no longer in Coburg once more, I will lose my temper,” Victoria snapped. “Because in Coburg you were missing one important thing, were you not?”

Albert blinked at her, not understanding. “What?”

“You were missing _me_.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albert attempts to comfort Victoria in her hour of need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Albert is comforting Victoria during the early stages of labour._

Albert was not entirely sure how his wife - his tiny, fierce wife - was making quite as much noise as she was without outright shouting. Shouting was something he was used to by now; something he knew how to deal with. Victoria’s tempers and flights of fancy were merely something he had come to terms with and learned to manage; it had taken time, but he knew the right words to say to calm her or placate her or apologise to her, regardless of whether or not he knew _why_. Shouting was, in essence, something he could _handle._

This... this was not shouting. This was a long, low groan that sounded like nothing he’d ever heard; it was primal and base, the sort of noise one never wants to hear one’s wife make. It was terrifying, and coupled with the fear of losing her that coursed through his veins with each beat of his heart, it was almost enough to rob him of his breath and his composure and his sanity. Yet he knew he must be strong, for Victoria’s sake if not his own.

“Your Highness,” the doctor said again, looking at him with something akin to disgust. “I really would insist upon you offering your wife some privacy.”

“No,” Victoria managed, holding out her hand to him. “No, I will not go through this without him. I cannot.”

“Liebling,” he murmured, crossing the room to her and arranging himself on the bed at her side. “I will not leave you.”

She curled up against his chest as another contraction hit, squeezing his hands in hers to the point that he feared his bones may snap. He endured the pain, however, because he must; because he knew it was a trifle compared to what she was going through, and he would not complain over something so small. 

He pressed his lips to her forehead and that seemed to calm her for a moment, her breath coming more easily as she looked up at him with wide, scared eyes.

“Do you promise?”

“I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas Day, and Princess Vicky is eager to celebrate with both her parents. Once they wake up, that is...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Vicbert + family time._

“Mama,” Vicky scrambled onto her parents’ bed, clutching her teddy bear in one tiny, pudgy fist as she set to the very important tasks of rousing both grown-ups from sleep. “Papa. Wake up.”

No response was immediately forthcoming from the two slumbering adults, so she stuck her thumb in her mouth and contemplated what she could do to attract their attention.

“ _Wach auf,”_ she tried, climbing over the hummocks of her parents’ bodies and patting her father on the cheek. “ _Es is Weihnach’en.”_

“English,” her father mumbled sleepily, suppressing a yawn and opening his eyes to scowl at her in a fond yet stern manner. “Vicky, we speak English.”

Lacking the vocabulary and grasp of syntax necessary to elucidate the sentiment of ‘well, Lehzen and Grandmama don’t,’ Vicky hit him in the face with her stuffed toy, and he grunted by way of response. 

“Vicky,” her mother pleaded, rolling towards her and affixing her with an imploring look she didn’t fully understand. “Darling, it’s very early. Why are you not in bed?” 

“Leh’en 'low me,” the little girl explained, crawling over to her mother and snuggling into her chest. “It Chris’mas!”

“Yes, it’s Christmas,” her mother sat up a little, drawing her into her arms and pressing a kiss to her hair. “It is also very early, so perhaps we should-”

“CHRIS’MAS,” Vicky enthused more loudly, just in case her parents had not fully grasped the excitement of such a concept. “Get Ber’ie,” she told her father’s sleeping form imperiously, hoping that doing so would precipitate the arrival of her - admittedly rather small and uninteresting - baby brother. “ _Bitte_.”

“Why must she give me orders in both languages?” her father groaned, getting out of bed with the utmost reluctance. “Very well, I will fetch Bertie and then we will all nap until it is time for breakfast. _Ja_?”

“That sounds agreeable,” Victoria acquiesced, pecking him quickly on the lips. “Happy Christmas, darling.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vicky makes a confession to her father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Albert teaching Bertie how to fence and Vicky gets jealous._

Vicky shifted from foot to foot, peeking around the corner of the box hedge she was concealed behind and trying not to shiver in the winter air. Her father and brother were stood beside the pond her parents so favoured, sparring with fencing foils and occasionally bursting into triumphant laughter as Bertie landed a hit upon their father.

“Not fair,” she muttered to herself under her breath. “I’d be just as good as him, if not better.” 

Their father moved around the pond, shifting the pair’s position, and they were both lost from Vicky’s line of vision. Irked, she leant further out from her hiding place, lost her footing and tumbled to the frosty ground, attracting the unwelcome attention of the two fencers, who were immediately concerned by her fall.

“Vicky?” her father asked, removing his mask and immediately jogging over to her to help her up. He dusted down her gown and then cupped her cheek with his gloved hand. “My love, what are you doing out here? It is not warm; you should be inside.”

“I want to learn,” she blurted out, looking down at the ground and feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment. “To fence. It’s not fair Bertie gets to and I don’t just because I’m a girl.”

“What would Mama say?” Bertie asked, removing his own visor and looking at his sister with worry. They both knew what their mother was like; she would not be amused by the notion of her eldest daughter learning to fence. “She would be furious.”

“Or perhaps...” their father mused. “She wouldn’t have to know...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albert enjoys a leisurely ride with his wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Vicbert + horse riding._

“You know,” Albert said thoughtfully, ducking in order to avoid a particularly low-hanging branch that his wife had been untroubled by, given her smaller stature. “I was not sure about this, not at first.”

“May you be more precise?” she asked, several feet ahead of him and garbed in a magnificent red riding gown he had had commissioned for her the previous month. “Not so sure about what, exactly? Myself? England? Windsor?” 

“Oh, definitely you,” he teased, and she turned and shot him a sharp yet teasing glare. “No, about this horse riding you are so fond of. I much prefer to walk.”

“Or take the train?”

“Or to travel by railway, yes,” he chuckled at the memory. “Yet I think I have come to enjoy the pastime now.”

“What changed your mind?” she asked, turning to look back at him with a hopeful smile that melted his heart.

“You did. As ever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her ninth pregnancy, and her last. She means it this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Vicbert + Victoria's 9th pregnancy._

“Never again,” she muttered, leaning against Albert’s chest and trying not to cry as the infant inside of her twisted and began kicking her spine for the third evening in a row. “I know how often I say that, my love, but this one really must be the last. I cannot do this again. I will not.”

“Do you not think ten would be a nice round number?” Albert teased, and she punched him lightly in the chest as he laughed at his own joke. “My love, I know that you are uncomfortable, but if this is our last then perhaps you should try to simply... appreciate the miracle that is your body?”

“It does not feel miraculous,” she groaned, running a hand over the convex swell of her abdomen. “It feels enormous, and bloated. I fear you may never love me again after this, Albert. I shall be like a deflated balloon: quite empty, and wholly unappealing.” 

“My love,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair. “I shall love you no matter your size, shape, colour, mood, or flight of fancy. Did I not assure you of that, before Vicky was born?” 

“You did,” Victoria sighed, her mouth curling up into a smile. “But it is still nice to be reminded, my darling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria experiences a bereavement, and seeks Albert out for comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Vicbert + death._

Albert was hunched over the desk in his study, engrossed in practicing the enormous, looping signature that seemed to be expected of him so often these days, when the door slammed open to reveal his wife. She was garbed only in her underthings, and her cheeks were wet with tears as she sobbed hysterically and with abandon, launching herself across the room and into his arms before clinging to him and howling with grief.

“Victoria?” he asked, immediately stricken with fear over what had happened to cause his wife such distress. “What is wrong, my love?”

“I...” she mumbled something about death, and he felt his heart stop. Surely nothing could have happened to their newborn daughter; surely the world would not be so cruel? For Victoria to have suffered as she did and then have their child wrenched away from her so soon seemed like an injustice he was unsure she would be able to bear. 

“Is it Vicky?”

“Vicky?” she blinked up at him in confusion. “No, she is with her nursemaid. Albert it’s... oh, Albert, it’s dear little Dashy. He... he...”

His heart soared and then broke as he realised the magnitude of her loss. “Oh, my angel,” he murmured, kissing her forehead and letting her weep. “I am so, so sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria bonds with her eldest daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Victoria is struggling with Vicky. One day Victoria is left alone with Vicky in the nursery and starts to warm up to her. Albert walks in and watches them for a bit before joining them._

“Oh, my love,” Victoria breathed, looking down into the cot that contained her infant daughter and feeling a sense of hopelessness at her inability to bond with the little girl. “I really thought I would find I had some instinct for this once I had you here with me, yet I still feel thoroughly useless.” 

Vicky’s nursemaid had left the two of them alone whilst she fetched fresh bedlinen for the princess, leaving Victoria to wonder why she felt so curiously detached from her firstborn. Reaching down, she smiled as her daughter took her finger in one chubby fist and gripped onto it tightly, making soft cooing sounds as she squirmed in her wrappings.

Emboldened by the child’s soft, contented noises, Victoria lifted her into her arms and cradled her against her chest, allowing Vicky to nuzzle into her and take hold of a strand of her hair. 

“There,” she murmured to her daughter, pleased that she could do this small thing, if nothing else. “This is rather peaceful, is it not? Most agreeable.” 

She wandered over to the nursery window, shifting Vicky so that she could see out, over the soft green expanse of the palace’s gardens and across to the city beyond. “One day,” she told the little girl. “One day, if your Mama does not bear a son, this will all be yours.”

The infant cooed, and she smiled.

“You are good with her,” a voice said from behind her, and Victoria yelped, nearly dropping the precious bundle as she turned on the spot and discovered Albert, leaning in the doorway and smiling. “Am I that terrifying, my love?”

“Only when you sneak up on me,” Victoria cleared her throat, rocking Vicky lest she get any ideas about crying in protest at her almost-fall. “I feel all wrong.”

“You needn’t,” he assured her, moving to stand with them at the window. “And besides, I will always be by your side when you need me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albert & Victoria discuss their relative pursuits; part 2 of the College AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From assortedflavours's prompt:
> 
> _Part 2 of the College AU?_

They made idle chit-chat about their studies until their food arrived, and when it did Albert immediately stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth, chewing happily before sprinkling salt over the remaining fries and picking a leaf of lettuce out of his burger. “So,” he began, looking a touch nervous as he fiddled with the piece of greenery. “What lie did Harriet tell you to get you here? I got a sob story about a breakup.”

Victoria looked down at her own plate, nibbling daintily on a single chip. “She said that she and Ernest wanted to discuss Friday night’s game with me. Something about making sure the football team look their best, which is just... a load of crap, really, because everything I do is to make sure the football team looks good.”

“Ah yes,” Albert rolled his eyes, and when he spoke again it was with a hint of something Victoria couldn’t quite place. Jealousy? Sadness? “My brother, the sports star.” 

“You don’t sound happy about that.”

“Oh, I am,” Albert looked up then, meeting her gaze, and she was taken aback by the intensity she saw there. “I’m very proud of him, but he isn’t around a lot, even less so now that Harriet’s in the picture.”

“I’m sorry,” Victoria said quietly, feeling suddenly and irrationally guilty. “I...”

“Our dad isn’t around a lot, and Mum... well, that was a complete car crash,” Albert sighed. “So with Ernest being at practice and on tour...”

“I’m sorry,” Victoria said again, purely because she wasn’t sure what else to say. “I always thought with the debate team and everything you’d be... I don’t know, busy going to parties or whatever it is that hippy vegans do.”

Albert laughed, but the sound seemed forced. “Oh, they’re all off being hippy vegans at some party across town. I wasn’t invited.”

“Oh.”

“I’m the head of the society by name only... Leo controls most of what goes on; competitions and parties and socials and the like.” 

“Well,” Victoria ate another chip, frowning minutely as she pondered the issue. “If you don’t have anyone else to spend time with, and seeing as Ernest and Harriet seem so keen for us to spend time together... we could start hanging out more often. If you’d like, that is?”

“Don’t you have cheer practice and the newspaper and everything else to deal with, though?”

“Albert, I...” she blushed furiously. “I’d like to make time for you, assuming you’d like that too.”

“I would,” he mumbled shyly, looking down at his food. “Very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria goes riding alone, much to Albert's worry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Victoria goes horse riding without guards and a worried Albert catches up to her._
> 
> This is the last prompt I have regarding Vicbert, so if you want to read more then request a drabble via the link at the end.

There was a certain serenity that Victoria only felt when she was riding. While she could not elucidate it fully, she knew that it was to do with the wonderful feeling of being alone and yet not, and the feeling of being entirely at liberty to choose where one should go. It was her escape, and always had been.

Her day had been... trying. She was sure that there were more uncouth yet apt words for it - words she had heard servants use, once or twice, and giggled - yet she would attempt to remain charitable and just in her classification of the preceding hours. The issue was politics, always politics, and the interminable rendering of her gender as a problem when it need not be a concern. Thus, when there has been a lull in the ignoramuses requiring her attention, she had fled the palace at once, hitching her gown up around her waist in a way she knew was entirely unladylike and heading for the stables. 

If the grooms had been shocked by her appearance they did not seem it, merely saddled her horse without question or complaint and then watched as she left the stableyard, sat astride the mare for the first time since her youth. Today was not to be wasted messing around with a side saddle for the sake of decorum. Today was for feeling the find in her hair as she galloped across Windsor’s expansive grounds.

She leant forwards, offering the panting mare a reassuring pat and soft word before working her up to a canter. It was then that she heard the sound of hooves behind her and turned, immediately worried for her own safety, but it was only Albert, approaching her at breakneck speed and looking as concerned as she had ever seen him.

“Victoria!” he called, and she could hear the fear in his tone. “Victoria, wait!”

She slowed to a trot and waited until he had drawn alongside her, noting his surprised glance at her bunched-up gown. “Yes?”

“You left in such a rush,” he panted. “I was concerned, and then I could not find you. By the time I thought to try the stables you had gone, and they told me you were alone and I... I was afraid you may injure yourself or worse and lie out here alone for hours.”

“Oh, my love,” Victoria murmured fondly. “You needn’t fear, but if it would soothe your worries, you may join me.”

“I would like that,” he acquiesced with a relieved little smile. “Very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria is unwell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Victoria is ill, Albert fusses over her a lot._

“Honestly, Albert,” Victoria tried to sound firm and reassuring, but somehow her words stuck in her throat and she was reduced to coughing in an awful, hacking manner for several minutes instead. When she regained her composure, she looked up at her husband with a wretched expression, but felt determined to soldier on and attend the opening of Parliament that afternoon. “I am quite alright.”

“Liebe, you are ill. You must rest, and not concern yourself with royal business.”

“It is just a light cold.”

“That is nonsense, Victoria. You are burning up, and you can hardly speak a word.”

“I will manage!”

“You will stay in bed,” Albert said gently, tucking the covers around her and pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead. “Until you are well again. I will fetch you a warm drink and something for you to eat, and then perhaps I could bring you a book and sit with you for a while?”

“That would be...” Victoria hesitated for a moment, then surrendered to her husband’s will. “Wonderful. Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albert is not fond of sharing his wife's affections... especially not with a small puppy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Albert getting jealous._

Albert had been acting decidedly strangely for the past few days. Victoria would, perhaps, have noticed slightly sooner, but she was somewhat caught up in playing with Dandie, her new puppy, and bemoaning being the approximate size - or so she swore - of Australia, thus it was some time before she realised that her husband was being distinctly aloof. 

“Darling,” she said one evening as they lay in bed, Dandie curled up against the curve of her stomach as Albert read the newspaper and acted as though his wife were not present. “Why are you behaving so coldly?”

“I am not.”

“You’ve barely so much as looked at me, of late.”

“I do not need to look at you. Dandie is looking at you.”

Victoria couldn’t help it. She let out a small laugh, snatching the newspaper away from her husband and affixing him with a stunned look. “Are you jealous of my new dog?” she asked. “Is that it?”

“Perhaps.”

“You are, aren’t you?!” she said with incredulity, before looking down at Dandie, who was blinking up at his mistress sleepily. “Papa is jealous of you, my little darling.”

“I’m not his papa,” Albert remonstrated, but his mouth twitched as Victoria deposited the puppy on his lap. “I’m-”

“You know that while Dandie is rather adorable, he cannot provide me with every aspect of... companionship that you can?” Victoria asked, and Albert smiled shyly. “You are my husband, and he is my companion.”

“He is rather dear, I suppose,” Albert petted the small dog’s head, and earned himself a lick in response. “Although once the baby comes... he may have to sleep elsewhere...” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Playing hide and seek had seemed like a wonderful idea...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Vicbert play hide and seek with Vicky._

“Do remind me,” Victoria said impatiently as she stalked along a hallway with her eyes narrowed. “Why I let you both talk me into this?”

“Because it seemed like an amusing notion at the time?” Albert chanced, shooting his wife a sidelong glance. “When I suggested hide and seek I did not mean she utilise the _entire_ palace to her advantage.”

“Well, she has,” Victoria snapped, both irked and impressed by her firstborn’s initiative. “What if she falls and hurts herself somewhere remote? What if we don’t find her for hours? What if she gets lost? What if some rogue breaks in again and abducts her?”

“Liebes,” Albert said soothingly, taking his wife’s hand and squeezing. “She is nothing if not tenacious. She will be quite alright, and I have no doubt at all that we will find her. And then we will have to restrict future games to the area of the palace that she knows, lest she gain the upper hand once more.”

“But-”

There was a giggling noise from behind a nearby curtain, and Albert tugged it back to reveal Vicky, crouched down and giggling with her doll clutched to her chest. “No!” she protested, as he scooped the small child into his arms with a sigh of relief. “No, you found me!”

“Thank heavens,” Victoria breathed, immediately leaning over and kissing her daughter’s cheek. “You gave us a terrible fright, my love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albert gets himself in a spot of bother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From flairchild's prompt:
> 
> _Albert's life is in danger so Victoria comes to the rescue._

Victoria was unsure what Albert had thought he was doing when he had approached the wild-eyed stallion to stroke the animal’s nose, as though the horse were the sort of sweet-tempered pony that they permitted Vicky to ride. Whatever his thought process had been, she had no doubt that it had been noble and designed to please her, only now he was alone in the yard of the stables with the unpredictable young horse, who had torn his lead rope free from the wall and now had his ears pinned back and his upper lip curled as he faced down her husband. 

She considered calling out to Albert, but to detract his attention from the now-dangerous animal seemed foolish, so she hitched up her gown and quietly clambered over the gate to the yard, clicking her tongue to draw the horse’s focus.

“Here,” she called, circling away from Albert and keeping her body language carefully relaxed as she did so. “Here, that’s a good lad. Come on, now. I’m much more interesting, aren’t I? Come, now.” 

The stallion turned his attention to her, and she knew that Albert would be paralysed with fear in that instant. She also knew that she had to defuse that worry, lest he do something foolish and get himself hurt.

“Albert,” she said in a low voice. “Climb over the gate, darling. Don’t argue; just do it.”

She watched out of the corner of her eye as he did so reluctantly, and she took a step towards the stallion, holding out her hand and clicking her tongue again.

“Easy, boy,” she murmured, watching as the horse’s ears flicked forwards. “Easy, now.”

“Victoria-”

“Hush,” she called, letting the horse stick his head out and nuzzle her hand curiously. “There. That’s a good boy. Easy, now.” 

She took hold of his lead rope and watched the fight go out of the creature, his ears and body language relaxing as she led him towards an empty stall and secured him within before turning to Albert, who was gaping at her with wide-eyed astonishment.

“But how...” he stammered. “How did you...”

“You forget I am a queen,” she teased. “And all in my kingdom must know their place, horses included.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albert seeks out his wife. Easier said than done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Albert finding Victoria hurt somewhere and nursing her back to health?_

“Victoria?” Albert called, more loudly than he had before, as he pushed his way through the dense bracken and gorse that carpeted the forest floor. “Victoria?” 

It had been some hours since his wife, in a fit of imperious, passionate anger, had stormed from the palace and headed towards the stables. He’d resolved to let her simmer and discuss matters with her upon her return, but when her horse trotted back into the yard with no rider and its saddle askew, he had felt panic claw its way up his throat, and so now here he was: out in the forest, alone, hunting for his foolish yet cherished wife.

“Albert?” came a faint reply, and he felt his heart leap, pushing through the bush in front of him and barely noticing as it scratched at his clothes. Victoria was sat with her back against a tree, her dress hitched up and one of her ankles resting on a tuft of moss. 

“Liebes,” he said with relief, and his wife burst into tears as he fell to his knees and swept her into his arms. “Oh, my poor thing. What happened?”

“Aurelius bucked me off,” she sobbed. “And my ankle... I can hardly stand it. I so hoped he would go home and raise the alarm, and I was right, I knew he would, and now...”

“Now I am here, my love,” he soothed, stroking her hair and getting to his feet. “We must get you back to the palace.”

“But I cannot walk, Albert...”

“That is not a problem,” he assured her, crouching down a little. “Get on my back.”

“What?”

“Like Vicky does. You do not weigh that much more than her, and it is the only way I can carry you.”

Victoria hesitated for a moment before following his instructions, winding her arms around his shoulders and giggling. “This feels strange.”

“Do not get used to it,” he teased. “Now, to the palace.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Champagne, the Prince of Coburg, and the royal court.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Can you do Vicbert + showing more affection than they should at court?_

“Liebes,” Albert murmured, taking her hand and lacing his fingers through hers, and although she knew she should really pull away in order to maintain the demure facade expected of the Queen of England, somehow she couldn’t. “You look so beautiful this evening...”

“Do I not look beautiful every evening?” she teased, arching one eyebrow delicately and watching him blush an exquisite shade of crimson.

“Of course,” he said with solemn sincerity. “Victoria, you are the most beautiful woman in this entire nation. Perhaps the entire world.”

“Have you checked?”

“I have not,” he took another sip of champagne, and she made note of the fact that the sparkling beverage seemed to allow him to loosen up a little. “But I am quite certain of this fact.”

“You flatter me.”

“I do,” he leaned forward and kissed her then, in full view of the assembled guests, and she wanted to be embarrassed but couldn’t quite manage it. Albert was not usually so demonstrative in public, and she enjoyed the attention. “I very much do.” 

He kissed her again then, far more deeply than before, and it wasn’t until Lord Alfred cleared his throat from beside her and uttered a quiet “ma’am” that she remembered where she was and that it wasn’t entirely proper to be doing this in full view of the court. 

“My darling,” she said in a gentle tone, pulling reluctantly away. “Pleased though I am, I think maybe we should save our kisses for later tonight...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the wake of her illness, Vicky seeks comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Vicky, Albert, and Victoria after everyone leaves the nursery after she recovers and it’s just them three?_

“My darling,” Albert murmured, perching on the edge of Vicky’s bed and holding his arms out to their daughter. She scrambled onto his lap at once and buried her head in his chest, her damp skin leaving behind translucent circles on the white cotton as she nuzzled into him in search of comfort. “My precious.”

Victoria crouched in front of the two of them, taking her daughter’s hands in her own and kissing the child’s small, still-clammy palms. “You frightened us, my love.” 

“Sorry,” the little girl mumbled, still clinging to Albert as though frightened he might leave her. “Sorry, Mama.” 

“I am glad you are safe,” Victoria murmured, moving to sit beside Albert, and Vicky edged over until she was perched on both her parents’ laps at the same time, one arm around each of their necks. “So, so glad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria pleads with her husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From shakespeareia's prompt:
> 
> _Albert becomes ill, and Victoria is terrified that she might lose him._

“Please,” Victoria murmured, her voice cracking with emotion as she looked down at the prone figure of her husband in his sickbed. “Please, my love.”

She pressed a kiss to Albert’s hand where it lay, cool and unresponsive, on the bedlinen. 

“Please, don’t leave me,” she whispered. “You can’t leave me. Please. I wanted you to be awake when I said this, but Albert... I’m with child. You cannot forsake us due to something as trivial as this. You must fight to get well, and come back to me.” 

She hung her head, and a single tear splashed onto the coverlet beside her husband.

“Please,” she begged. “I will do whatever it takes.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family decorates at Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt: 
> 
> _Vicky spying through the keyhole as the adults decorate the Christmas trees._

Vicky leant forward a fraction, her tongue poking through her teeth as she shifted from foot to foot and peered through the crack in the enormous doors before her. Through the narrow gap spilled the golden light from the ballroom, but her interest was captivated by the fact she could see her parents, and her grandmother, and her uncle, all of whom were currently occupied by decorating the enormous Christmas tree her father had procured from... well, she wasn’t sure.

Her mother vanished from her line of sight with a bauble in her hands, and Vicky moved in order to try and regain her view. Instead, overbalancing, she toppled through the doors and landed on the parquet flooring, and the conversation in the room ceased as the adults blinked at her in surprise.

“Vicky,” her father said after a moment, his mouth quirking up a little as he came over and lifted her to her feet. “Liebes, why are you not in bed?”

“I...”

“You wanted to help?” he guessed, lifting her into his arms. “Well...” 

“It couldn’t hurt,” her mother said softly, handing Vicky the decoration she had been holding. “Where do you think this should go, darling?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albert recovers from his skating accident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Prince Albert and the whole family being extremely worried about him because he got sick after he fell into the water on Christmas._

“Brother,” Ernst stepped forwards, his gaze flickering upwards over the bedsheets and fixing on his younger sibling with a reluctance quite uncommon for such a brash young man. “You frightened us.”

Albert could see the latent terror in his brother’s eyes, buried beneath a haze of bravado that failed to quite conceal his true concern. “Thank you,” he said softly, his mouth curling into a shy, pleased smile. “But I am... how is it they say here? Made of strong stuff.” 

“Not that strong,” Ernst jested, visibly relaxing in the wake of his brother’s good humour. “Your wife, however...”

Victoria flushed. “Ernst,” she said with embarrassment. “Really, don’t...”

“The true heroine of the hour,” Ernst pulled her towards him and planted a kiss on her cheek as she giggled. “May God bless you with wonderful fortune for saving my dear brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albert meets his firstborn grandchild, but Vicky seems agitated...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt: 
> 
> _Victoria and Albert meet their first grandchild, Vicky's son._

“Oh,” Albert breathed, leaning over the cot and looking down at the sleeping infant within. He reached out with a tentative hand and stroked his grandson’s cheek with a fingertip, smiling fondly as the little boy stirred in his sleep. “My love, he is quite, quite perfect.”

Vicky shifted from foot to foot nervously, her eyes refusing to meet her father’s as he attempted to meet her gaze. “Papa, there is something...”

“What is it?” he asked gently, sensing at once that something must be very wrong to elicit such a panicked response from his eldest child. “Liebes? Is it... is it...” he couldn’t bring himself to say the words aloud, and instead chanced: “Is it his... lineage?” 

“What?!” his daughter’s head shot up and her eyes bored into his, her expression equal parts outraged and afraid. “No, it is...” 

She lifted back the soft blanket that covered the child, revealing for the first time that the infant’s left arm lay helplessly at his side. 

“Vicky...”

“It was my fault,” she said, beginning to weep. “While I was abed, I must have made some error, and now the poor child is doomed to a poor life! Who ever heard of an Emperor of Germany with only one good arm?! He will be mocked by his peers and rejected by his people, and it is all my fault! Why I could not be good and strong like Mama, I shall never know... oh, she shall be so contemptuous of him...”

“My darling,” Albert breathed, placing his arm around his daughter’s shoulders and drawing her close in an attempt to provide her with some comfort. “It is not your fault, Vicky, and you must not compare yourself to Mama; she is a force quite unto herself. Do you love him, just as he is?”

“Of course,” Vicky sobbed, resting her cheek against his chest. “Of course, that shall never change.”

“Then he shall live a good and happy life, liebes.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blissful domesticity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt: 
> 
> _Victoria and Albert cook together._

“Like this?” Victoria asked, biting her lip nervously as she shook the frying pan experimentally, watching the diced potatoes inside spit and hiss in the hot, seasoned oil.

“Yes,” Albert grinned, reaching over and planting a triumphant kiss to her temple. “Just like that, liebes. Although maybe a touch more gently, or the potatoes will be all over the hob.”

“Ah,” Victoria giggled, adjusting her grip and shaking the pan again a little less vigorously and forming an idea as she did so. “Yes, good point, but I ah... I may need a practical demonstration.”

“Oh?” Albert paused while chopping the onion, his knife hovering in mid-air as he quirked his eyebrows at her. “Really?”

Victoria blushed. “Really.” 

He grinned, setting the knife down and stepping closer to her, pressing against her back and placing his hands over hers. “Like _this_ ,” he murmured, low and teasing in her ear. “See? A model student.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria finds herself unwell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Victoria has a cold (sneezing) and Albert takes care of her?_

“Albert,” Victoria rasped, her hand wandering across the bedspread in search of her husband’s as she struggled into an approximate sitting position. “Albert, I feel quite unwell.”

“Liebes? What is wrong?” 

In the gloom, she felt his fingers mesh through hers, squeezing reassuringly as he moved closer to her before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“I can’t...” she broke off to sneeze, her ears throbbing with pain as she did so, and she realised that whatever malady she had caught, it had already taken hold. “It hurts to breathe.”

“Shall I fetch the doctor?” 

“No,” she mumbled, taking a shaky breath and nuzzling into his chest. “I want you.”

“But-”

“Please,” she implored him, before sneezing again. “Indulge your unwell wife.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's only a matter of time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _Victoria and Albert remembering how they were younger and how they fell in love._

“Do you remember,” Albert said softly, his voice dry and cracked as he continued: “When we went to...”

He broke off, coughs racking his body as he fought for breath, and Victoria bit her lip, fighting back tears as she reached for his hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

“...the...” he managed after a moment, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply to fortify himself. “Little house, in Scotland?” 

“How could I forget, my love?” she whispered, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his fevered brow. His eyes snapped open and bored into hers, the light of his youth dimming but still discernible. “Do you think, perhaps, if we had stayed there forever, perhaps things might be different now?” 

“I think,” Albert rasped, raising an eyebrow wearily. “That Bertie would still have been Bertie.”

“But not at the cost of you, my darling,” Victoria murmured, and unbidden, the tears began to spill from her eyes and drip onto their clasped hands. “Albert...”

“I will not leave you, liebes,” he vowed, but they both knew the futility of his promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria underestimates her own strength, with calamitous - yet amusing - consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From lattelaurel's prompt:
> 
> _Vicbert: either one falling out of bed._

They’d been kissing for what seemed like hours: long, languid embraces lit only by what little early morning sun filtered in around the drapes. The sheets were twisted around Victoria as she knelt over her husband, her nightgown slipping down around her shoulders and exposing swathes of skin for Albert to press his lips to.  
“Victoria...” he hummed, kissing the spot where her neck met her shoulder and eliciting a contented sound of pleasure in response. “We should get up...”

“Why?” she pulled away from him and pouted, widening her eyes in an attempt to make him feel guilty enough to reconsider his suggestion. She knew it was only teasing, but she didn’t want to be teased; she wanted to be kissed. “The children will still be asleep...”

“This is true,” he murmured, kissing her and then taking hold of her wrists and rolling them over so that she was the one pinned to the bed. “Let’s make more.”

“Albert!” she giggled, turning her head away in mock affront when he tried to kiss her. “What a silly notion...”

“You have to choose...” he grinned at her, pushing her nightgown a little further down with one hand. “We either continue this and make more, or... we stop. Now.”  
“Do we? Right now?” 

“Yes, right now,” he smirked, and she knew he thought he’d won. “We-”

She seized the opportunity and gave him a gentle shove, only aiming to remove him from his position of power and regain the upper hand, but instead he toppled onto the floor with an undignified shriek, and she couldn’t help it. She knew she shouldn’t.  
But she started to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every inch the surprise couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From kxxisy's prompt:
> 
> _Victoria and Albert go to prom together and everyone is shocked when they enter (it's kind of a continuation of your drabble cheerleader and captain of the debate team)._

Harriet froze, her glass halfway to her mouth as the entire room came to a perfect, silent standstill around her. The terrible, cheesy 90s pop music that the DJ had chosen continued to blare, and yet nobody was dancing, or talking, or even so much as breathing, it seemed.

Every occupant of the hotel’s ballroom was focused on the couple who had just stepped over the threshold hand in hand. The lad was wearing a smart navy suit with an immaculate white shirt, and his partner was wearing a dress of the exact same shade, the material shimmering as it caught the light. She looked every inch a queen, and yet she looked up at her date uncertainly.

That look of nervousness was enough to unfreeze Harriet, and at her side, Ernest. He let out a whoop of delight and raced over to the pair, unfazed by the hundreds of pairs of eyes on him.

“Brother! Looking dapper as ever, and Victoria... that dress...” Ernest nodded his head appreciatively. “Now, can I interest you in the punch?” 

Harriet joined him, his arm snaking protectively around her waist as she did so. “The punch is vile. There’s champagne, though.”

Victoria’s nerves visibly dissipated, and the room around them returned to normal. “I think...”

“...the champagne would be a marvellous idea,” Albert finished, and the four of them grinned in synchronicity. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Knocking is often a good idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt:
> 
> _The kids catch V &A in the act?_

“Mama!” Vicky shrieked, tumbling through the door into her parents chambers and continuing to wail at the top of her voice, even if only for dramatic effect. Behind her, Bertie stomped along, dragging his favourite teddy bear by the arm and looking sour. 

“ _Halt die Klappe_ ,” he muttered. “Snitch.”

“Mama!” she called again, speeding through her mother’s dressing room and all but falling over the threshold of the enormous room in which Vicky was sometimes allowed to eat breakfast in bed with her parents. “Bertie said-”

All thought of her brother’s rudeness was forgotten as she caught sight of her mother, pinned beneath her father and crying out in pain.

“Mama!” she screamed, charging towards the bed, and her parents yelped in shock, her father rolling sideway and both adults dragging the sheets around themselves. “Papa, you hurt Mama! Bad Papa!”

“Vicky,” he said in a low, conciliatory voice, his face bright red. He was embarrassed. Good - he had been hurting her mama, he should be embarrassed! “ _Liebes_ , I was not hurting her.”

“You were! Papa, you were! Bad Papa!” 

“Vicky,” her mother hissed. “What’s wrong?” 

“Bertie said I was a selfish pig! And then he pinched my arm!” 

“Is that...” her mother looked annoyed. “Is that all?” 

“It hurt!” Vicky burst into tears, her pride more wounded than her arm. “And now Papa is doing bad things and hurting you!”

“He wasn’t hurting me,” her mother said, her expression softening. “But why don’t you go and wait in my dressing room for a moment and then I’ll come and see if we can find you some bread and jam? Or maybe a cake? Hmm?”

Vicky considered this proposal. “Yes, Mama,” she said meekly, turning back towards the door and calling sternly over her shoulder: “Papa, no more hurting.”

“Yes, Vicky,” he said, and as the door swung closed behind her, the little girl could’ve sworn she heard them laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to submit a request for a drabble, you can do so [here.](http://universe-on-her-shoulders.tumblr.com/ask)


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